BLACK SOULS for Windows

Quick synopsis

Black Souls is an indie role-playing game that drops you into the cursed remnants of the Lost Empire as an undead survivor who has just come to. Created by the studio Eeny, meeny, miny, moe?, the title has attracted a loyal audience among players who favor grim fantasy and story-heavy adventures. It combines oppressive, fairy-tale horror with methodical, tactical combat.

World and atmosphere

The game reimagines familiar fairy-tale figures as decayed, monstrous echoes of their former selves, mixing gothic dread with touches of Lovecraftian unease. Characters that initially seem archetypal reveal corrupt, morally fraught arcs, and the plot dwells on obsession, insanity, and repeating tragedy. The result is an intentionally unsettling tone that leans into discomfort rather than comfort.

Systems and combat

Black Souls relies on a tactical, turn-based Active Time Battle (ATB) framework where timing and initiative matter. Key gameplay elements include:

• Grid-style dungeons that require careful positioning and attention to supplies.
• An ATB combat loop that rewards planning and sequencing of actions.
• Starting gifts and early choices that can create powerful openings when used strategically.
• Speed attributes that heavily affect who acts first, making fast classes attractive early on.

These systems encourage deliberate decision-making, from placement in confined corridors to the management of limited resources during encounters.

Exploration and approachability

Dungeon crawling is presented on a grid and can be unforgiving—new players may find traps, tight corridors, and resource scarcity a steep learning curve. Success tends to favor careful scouting, patience, and thoughtful build choices rather than quick reflexes alone.

Titles you might also like

If you’re searching for something in the same vein, consider Akazukin: Dark Side (paid). It offers a similar dark fairy-tale reinterpretation and may appeal to players who enjoyed Black Souls’ mood and themes.

Final impressions

Black Souls stands out as a chilling reinterpretation of classic tales, pairing a bleak, morally complex narrative with tactical RPG depth. Its atmosphere and story are captivating for fans of darker fiction, but the disturbing themes and challenging mechanics may not suit everyone.